FEB
21

Standing Up to Censorship in Schools

By Grey Pratt, Customer Service Rep, Pioneer Drama Service 

Grey Pratt has been involved in theatre for 16+ years, starting from when they were a small child.  Through the years, their participation has included acting, tech, directing, designing, writing, construction, and much more.  The theatre arts have a special place in Grey’s heart, and they invest themself in any facet they can, which has led to the exciting opportunity of being employed with Pioneer Drama. 

As a theatre teacher, you sometimes find yourself walking a fine line.  You want to provide your students with opportunities to challenge themselves and explore complex material, but there is the very real chance that a controversial choice can put your program at risk.

The arts have always faced opposition, but it seems like censorship has become more aggressive recently, particularly in schools and school districts.  Plays with sensitive topics including LGBTQ+ characters, suggestive material, dark themes, and adult language often get censored by school boards and/or administrations.  Yet, putting on shows that take on tough themes is important.

“The whole concept and idea behind theatre is that it shines a mirror and allows us to have complex conversations around society, culture, structures of power, and ways that we interact with the world and each other,” says Jordan Stovall, Director of Outreach and Institutional Partnerships for Dramatists Guild of America.

Censorship creates roadblocks.  It limits exposure to diverse perspectives, cultures, and topics; it lowers the awareness of historical and societal issues; and it prevents the creation of safe spaces that promote self-discovery, support, and discussion.  Even more consequentially, censorship reduces students’ real-world preparedness and critical thinking!  The list goes on and on, but the overall theme is that censorship can and does have real consequences other than the simple cancelation of a show.  That’s why being prepared to defend your artistic choices as a teacher is more important than ever.

National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) explains:  “Censorship happens whenever some people succeed in imposing their political or moral values on others by suppressing words, images, or ideas that they find offensive.  A censor, traditionally, is an official whose job it is to examine literature, movies, or other forms of creative expression and to remove or ban anything they consider unsuitable.  In this definition, censorship is something the government does.  But censorship can also be accomplished very effectively by private groups.”

Students have a right to free speech and free expression, but when schools are tasked with managing and limiting appropriate material, censorship becomes a battlefield.  Shows like She Kills Monsters, Rent, American Idiot, and even Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night have all recently been victim of censorship.

So, what can you do?  You want to expand the artistic bubble that your students experience, but you aren’t sure how to dance on that fine line.  First off, it’s important to know your material.  Know where your problem areas are and what adjustments might be made.  Understand the legalities that protect your right to choose different material.

“While acknowledging that public school officials have greater discretion in prohibiting certain types of speech when minors are involved, the Supreme Court has said that students and teachers do not shed their first amendment rights at the schoolhouse gate.  Therefore, it is important to forge relationships with local organizations that defend the first amendment, such as your local ACLU chapter,” states Director of Business Affairs for the Dramatists Guild, Jessica Lit.

Make sure to do your research and understand the context of why you want to explore these concepts.  Be prepared to share all this with your students and administration.  Many organizations exist to provide knowledge of actors’ rights to freedom and expression.  Groups such as the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC), The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), and Dramatists Legal Defense Fund (DLDF) can offer support for those facing censorship issues.

But most importantly, know that you are not alone.  There are educators all over the world who struggle to let their actors’ voices be heard.  There are members of your community who are willing and ready to stand with you and your choices.  By understanding your options and creating a safe space for your students, a simple show can have a great impact on not just your students but your entire community.

The arts provide us with many tools, skills, and experiences that help us to understand the world around us, as well as ourselves.  It is important that we fight for these types of shows to be produced.  It is important that we fight for our programs...  and our students.  Don’t let the possibility of censorship deter you from broaching the harder topics and more meaningful plays.  Freedom of expression is our right.